2018 Actors Studio Renovation

In summer of 2018, St. John’s Church Foundation launched a campaign to upgrade our Actors Studio. Not only did we want to pamper our actors with a pleasant space but we truly needed a modern HVAC system in order to protect our costumes. The work took just a few weeks, and the results are amazing. We now have a thermostat controlled system to protect our valuable assets, as well as a newly re-furbished Actors space with wardrobes, shelving and new carpeting.

We are forever grateful to our donors that made this crucial structural repair possible.

The Markel Corporation

Mr. Bruce Kay

The Chrisman Family Foundation

Donations from individuals

Boiler House, c. 1929.

Our Actors Studio is located on the top floor of the 1920s’ boiler house behind the church. The space serves as a changing room and storage space for our valuable wardrobe. With 25 actors on staff, that’s a lot of wigs!

The space had no regulated heating or cooling, making it not only very uncomfortable for our gentlemen, but very hard on our costumes and wigs. Unregulated heat and humidity can damage fabric.

Thanks to our generous donors, we raised $14,000 to complete the renovation.

Here is what we spent:

$5,700 to intsall a new HVAC system

$1,800 for new carpet

$4,500 for lockers and cabinets for proper wardrobe storage

$2,000 for labor and materials

This slideshow shows the studio transformation. Preservation Director Amy Swartz runs the operation, while Dan our contractor and his team repair the walls, install cabinets, and lay down a new floor. Huzzah!

On November 11th, we had a ribbon cutting celebration with our donors, patriots, and the guests at our Veterans Day Reenactment. Cookies and punch oh my!

Our mission is to spark a global appreciation for understanding the role that Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty” speech had in setting America on its path to liberty, and to ignite the public’s commitment to preserving the historic site where it happened.